Will Hill likely 'done' with Giants as safety faces another drug-related suspension

New York Daily News | Apr 22

Will Hill, the troubled but talented Giants safety, is facing a drug-related suspension for the third straight year -- and this time it will likely cost him his Giants career.

Hill, 24, failed a recent drug test, according to multiple NFL sources and both he and the Giants have been informed of the results. Hill is planning to appeal those results, one source added, in the hopes of avoiding what could be a year-long suspension.

Whether he wins the appeal or not, though, one team source added that the Giants are livid at Hill’s continued drug issues and he’s likely “done” with the team, whether he wins his appeal or not.

It’s unclear whether Hill’s latest violation was for a Performance Enhancing Drug – like it was in 2012 when he claimed he failed for taking Adderall – or for other drugs – like in 2013 when he admitted he had been smoking marijuana. It’s also unclear when he failed the test, and whether it was related to his arrest last December for not paying child support. The police report from that incident reportedly noted the smell of marijuana coming from his car.

If Hill’s failed test was for marijuana or another recreational drug – as some suspect – he could be in line for a suspension of six games or up to one calendar year, depending on what stage of the drug program he's in under the NFL's substance abuse policy. If he violated the PED policy again, his suspension would be for eight games.

The Giants are not allowed to comment on Hill’s latest trouble -- which was first reported by Fox Sports and the Newark Star-Ledger -- according to the rules of the NFL’s confidential drug policy. Neither Hill nor his agent could be immediately reached for comment.

None of this is surprising to anyone who has followed Hill’s troubled career, dating back to his days as a highly-touted high school star in New Jersey. His troubles followed him to the University of Florida and into the NFL draft where concerns about his character were so intense that he wasn’t drafted and then wasn’t even signed.

The Giants took a chance on him in 2012 and his talent made him a hidden gem, but he couldn’t stay out of trouble. He admittedly failed “a lot” of drug tests during his rookie season, and the next spring spent time in treatment centers in Boston and Parsippany, N.J., at the urging of the team. Several times coaches publicly expressed concern about Hill, though the team continued to stand by him.